From:	Marc Renouf renouf@********.com
Subject:	Naval Military Might (Submarines and Drone Fighters)
Date:	Thu, 15 Jul 1999 13:43:00 -0400 (EDT)

On Wed, 14 Jul 1999 Ereskanti@***.com wrote:

> Hmmm...this is an interesting consideration. Question folks .... though it
> would be HUGELY expensive, what kind of space is say, an ICBM as compared to
> a Wadjina? Could a Wadjina be converted to have "pop-out" wings and such?

> What kind of control interface relay would you need to have this all work?

That might work, but in a "more bang for your buck" vein, you'd be
better off refitting your old boomers with sub-launched cruise missiles.
For instance, you can fit at least 4 tomahawk or harpoon vertical
launch tubes in the same diameter filled by 1 trident ICBM tube (you may
be able to get 7 in a classic hex pattern, but I'd have to check the
physical dimensions again). Further, you can stack at least one reload
vertically beneath your main launch tubes.
Now your basic Ohio-class sub has 24 Trident ICBM tubes. That
translates to anywhere from 96 to 168 tomahawks or harpoons inbound in a
very short amount of time. Give a minute or so to go through the reload
cycle and you have another 96 to 168 missiles on the fly. From *one* sub.
This is a surface task force commander's worst nightmare. All
without ever departing from conventional arms (a big plus in our
nuclear-paranoid world). Sure, anti-missile defenses will get a lot of
the missiles through attrition, but your standard Phalanx gun is a defense
of last resort. With that many missiles, you'd rapidly swamp the enemy's
defenses, and the resulting carnage would be pretty phenomenal, especially
if the first salvo was directed at the surface group's pickets.
Once stripped of this critical layer of protection, the second salvo
(directed at larger targets like carriers, troop ships, oilers, etc) would
be even more devastating.
And that says nothing of the ability to project power over land.
If the US could conceivably have that many missiles sitting off the coast
of your country *without you knowing it*, you may be less belligerant.
The ability to make good on a diplomatic threat instantanously,
powerfully, and by surprise is a pretty potent tool for getting what you
want.
Honestly, I'm not sure why the USNavy hasn't looked into it
seriously. As a force multiplier, a reconfigured boomer would be an
excellent addition to the Navy's capabilities.

Marc